Happy Times
by Radioactive301
Summary: Dogmeat and the Lone Wanderer's last time with each other as they encounter a Raider in the Metro. Rated M for violence and blood.


Dogmeat's fur was turning grey, nine years can do that to you. Parker acknowledged his old age and tried to help him much as he can. With Dogmeat's senses growing weary, the two had too many close calls. Parker was beginning to doubt his usefulness as a guard dog, but he couldn't bare to just leave him. He was still happy and at least tried to help.

Hearing his Master whistle, Dogmeat ran to Parker into a subway station. The nighttime sky didn't look promising, and the dark subway was their only hope to get a good night's sleep. Dogmeat looked up to Parker as he caught a wiff of something meaty coming off of him. He wagged his tail when Parker dropped some brahmin steak in front of him. Dogmeat immediately dug his teeth into the delicately then stared at Parker eating his own share of the steak. "Don't look at me like that," Parker said with his mouth full of food. Dogmeat still wagging his tail jumped unto Parker, making him drop the meat. He ran to get it then ran deeper into the dark tunnels. "Damn dog!"

Parker gritted his teeth as his stomach growled, and looked for that trouble making dog. Hearing his paws click on the concrete was his only way of finding him. Parker switched his Pip-Boy light on to illuminate the subway tunnels, but that mutt was no where to be seen. Panting was heard, then more clicks on the ground. Parker ran calling out for Dogmeat, of course he didn't listen, condemning him as he went.

Parker tripped over something, looking at what threw him over he saw Dogmeat, looking at him without a care. "You may be an old pup, but you still got a lot of energy in you." Parker furrowed his brows, but choose to lay down where he was. Dogmeat snuggled next to him, breathing in his face with a meaty scent. "You're a bad dog, you know that, right?" Dogmeat licked his face, slobbering profusely. Exhaling deeply, he held Dogmeat in one arm, and dozed off on the cold ground.

When the morning came, Dogmeat nuzzled up to his Master, trying to wake him up. He growled faintly, and barked as soft as he could. Parker awoke to slobber covering his face, but drew the gun from his side as he saw Dogmeat was in a cautious stance. He ears perked up as he heard something echoing in the distance, and walked slowly to check for other noises.

The cry of a baby echoed throughout the metro.

Parker ran for child with Dogmeat following closely behind. Not caring whether he was loud or not, he sprinted towards the ends of the subway tunnels, looking for the baby. Then appeared a blue and white crib with the the sound of a baby bawling helplessly. Parker approached the crib slowly, then an explosion blew him feet behind him. His face and arms were burnt, and shards of debris was caught in his armor and skin, but when he looked at Dogmeat he was relived. He wasn't hurt by the blast, but he was spooked. He trembled with fear, and walked to Parker for comfort.

Parker's injuries wasn't too bad for a couple Med-X's and Stimpacks to patch up. But the debris the stuck in his arms and parts of his face wasn't easy to get out. Pulling them out caused excruciating pain, grunting and groaning as he yanked them out. A maniacal laugh frightened both Parker and Dogmeat, the typical rough tone of a Raider. Parker commanded Dogmeat to attack the moment he heard the sound of a pistol reload, and the old dog did as told. "Fucking dog!" The Raider yelled, trying as best she could to push Dogmeat off of her. Parker aimed at her head and shot his shotgun. It jammed. The Raider forced Dogmeat to the ground, yelling a slur of profane words towards the animal, and shot him before he could get up.

The wrath Parker felt as he watched his companion being gunned down was indescribable. He charged at her punching her face, forcing her down in a similar manner the way she did to Dogmeat. She quickly got back up to bring out a combat knife and slashed Parker's face. Her nose was broken and bloodied but she smiled anyway, the drugs in her system numbed the pain. Parker pushed her onto the railroad tracks throwing as much punches as he possibly can, bashing her extremely hard. She sliced him on his arm opening a recent wound, making him bleed again after he patched himself up not too long ago.

Like the psychopath she was, she licked the blood off the blade and smiled even bigger. Parker swung as her, but she dodged and stabbed his abdomen. He fell to his back, nearly in tears of how much pain he was in. The Raider jumped on top of him, using one hand to hold on one arm and her leg the other. Parker freed one hand to stop the knife from piercing his face as she tried to do so. Holding the knife in place, slowing driving it towards Parker's face. Parker was the stronger one, but she was quick. Only slightly tearing his skin, she barely got him on his cheek. He pushed her off, and got back up quickly.

Dogmeat's whimper distracted Parker for a brief second, just enough time for the Raider to strike him unexpectedly. She stabbed him once again, except this time into the back of his shoulder. Parker screamed and tried to pull the knife out, but without success. The maniacal laughter returned as she watched him suffer. She injected herself with drugs as Parker struggled to get the knife out of him. He decided to dismissed it then swung at the Raider, knocking her down. Parker, just like the Raider did, jumped on her. He tried his best to wrap his hands around her neck, but it grew difficult with the blood that covered his fingers. She clawed at his arms, but he stood his place, pushing down on her. Her eyes flooded with tears as she realized this was the end of her, but Parker's rage blinded him of his actions. This wasn't the first time he killed a Raider, and he convinced himself that this wasn't any different. She gasped for air, but she gave in. Parker didn't release until he was sure she was dead.

Her eyes were filled with terror, stuck forever with sorrow smeared across her face.

Faint breathes were heard, and then he remembered about Dogmeat. He was losing a lot of blood, and could've been stopped if given attention to eariler. "Fuck..." Parker blamed himself, he could've prevented this. He collapsed onto the ground, holding the dying dog in his arms. Dogmeat whimpered while Parker began to weep. Blood was everywhere, all around Dogmeat, all over Parker, not to mention the knife still in his back.

"I'm sorry, boy. I'm so sorry..." Rivers of tears formed down his blood-covered face, mixed in with dirt and grim. Dogmeat's breathing slowed rapidly, and the bleeding didn't stop. Parker pressed down the wound, but he knew even if Dogmeat survived, he'll be severely weaked. Especially with how old he is, he'll be in misery leading to a more painful death. "It'll be ok, you hear me? You're going to a better place. It'll be ok..." Parker cried harder, "I'm sorry I let this happen to you." Dogmeat's eyes were filled with sadness, his blue and brown eyes staring off into space. To Parker, it felt like he knew. Like Dogmeat was saying that it'll be ok back to him with the looks he gave. Dogmeat whined one last time, then he was gone.

Parker held him, accepting what had happened. He tried to muffle his crys, but he couldn't. He lost his best friend, the only one who stuck by in the end, the only one to love him unconditionally. Dogmeat shut his eyes, his last breathe fading. "It was nice to have a dog like you." Parker got up, and looked at him. He didn't want to just leave him here. He can't.

Parker picked him up, and carried him out of the metro. The sun blinded him on his way out. He dug a shallow grave with nothing more than his hands for Dogmeat, it was the least he could do. With nothing more than a salvaged dog treat in his pocket, he placed it atop the dirt.

~oOo~

Parker swung the door open to the house he had in Megaton. He was soaked from the rain, and dried blood covered his clothing. Washing off most of the Crimson stains, the rain poured down like a waterfall. The shack was quiet besides the sound raindrops on the metal ceiling.

He dreaded coming here. Butch's Tunnel Snake jacket hung on the wall, Charon's shotgun atop the desk, Cross's sledgehammer leaned onto the lockers in the corner, and Sarah's power armor helmet sitting idly on the coffee table. He grabbed Dogmeat's collar before being buried, and added it to the relics he kept as a tribute to those he loved. And lost. He headed up the stairs into his room, and the first thing he saw was a 10mm pistol. The one Amata gave him.

Parker plopped himself onto his bed, and to his surprise the knife stuck in his back from the night before dug deeper into his body as he fell on the mattress. He reached for it one last time, and now actually getting the knife out. He threw it towards the wall, getting the blade stuck into the chair instead. Parker bandaged the wound with the cloth he had in his desk, tying it firmly around his shoulder.

Tuning the Pip-Boy radio, GNR played loudly with Three Dog howling into the microphone. After service announcements, the radio played "Happy Times," with Bob Crosby's voice singing soothingly. He curled himself into a ball, trying to hold onto the memories he had. Of the ones he loved, being ripped from him. Most he'll never see again.

" _For when do you find the rainbow? Only after rain_ ," Parker began to tear up, trying to deny that he was. " _So wish on the moon, and someday it may be tomorrow_ ," It pained him when he held back his cries, but he kept resisting. " _You will suddenly hear chimes, and you'll have your happy, happy times_."

He may have just been a dog, just a mutt he found throughout his travels. Parker lost the last thing he considered family, when all others have died protecting him or left without explanations. He laid alone, when Dogmeat would usually on top of him, or hear his other companions coming in the door, it was just him. The radio eased the sense of being alone, for now.

Parker decided to leave. To leave the Capital Wasteland behind him. After nine years, after being kicked around by the vices at surrounded the DC ruins, the fear that once controlled him, the Brotherhood's abandonment.

He ventured north without telling anyone. The Capital Wasteland will never hear from him again.

 **A/N** : It's been over a year and a half since I last wrote. It may be crap now but it's at least it's something I haven't scrapped half way through. I'll be writing more in the future, sooner or later. Thank you for reading.


End file.
